Cuenca

Located on old Inka-territory in the south highlands, Cuenca is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Ecuador. I chose to not spend a lot of time here as I may regret it otherwise further south on the continent, but still had time to check out the main sights. Visiting Cuenca is much about experiencing the atmosphere with locals walking around in traditional dresses, beautifully constructed churches and cathedrals, an energetic centre and lot’s of friendly people, all in relatively big city. In my opinion, people seem to be much friendlier and more helpful in the highlands as compared to the people living in the lowlands. The lowlands, with the pacific beaches, are also less worthwhile a visit if you are in Ecuador short on time. Beaches are simply much better on the Caribbean side and frankly, the best travel experiences from Ecuador are from the mountains so here, in Cuenca, is where you should be. Highly recommended.